Device for forming pleats on curtains

ABSTRACT

A one-piece pleat forming curtain hanger has a stiff crossbar on a hanging arm which extends in the direction in which the curtain is drawn. Upward pointing pleat-holding arms, forwardly extending horns, and optionally, hooking devices all extend from the crossbar.

United States Patent Hachtel [45] Apr. 11, 1972 [54] DEVICE FOR FORMINGPLEATS ON [56] References Cited 8 UNITED STATES PATENTS [72] 6994Nedemetten 2,754,903 7/1956 Czetli et al ....160/348 3,116,783 1/1964Polkosnik ....160/348 1 i"- 15, 1970 3,191,665 6/1965 Rosenbaum et al...160/348 2 App] 72,513 3,325,853 6/1967 Stroweis ..160/348 X RelatedUS. Application Data FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [63] Continuationof Ser. No. 770,612, Oct. 25, 1968, 545,759 3/1956 Belgium ..160/348abandoned.

Primary Examiner-David J. Williamowsky [30] Fm'eign Application PnomyDam Assistant Examiner-Philip C. Kannan Dec. 30, 1967 Germany ..11 64926 Attorney-M Robert Kestenbaum May 18, 1968 Germany ..P 17 78 643.5

[57] ABSTRACT A one piece pleat forming curtain hanger has a Stiffcrossbar 58 Field of Search ..1661546556616/812 87.4 hanging whichextends in direchm which curtain is drawn. Upward pointing pleat-holdingarms, forwardly extending horns, and optionally, hooking devices allextend from the crossbar.

11 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTE APR 1 1 I972 SHEET 2 [IF 3 IN VENTOR. 'UJIL Ham 620/722 Za DEVICE FOR FORMING PLEATS ON CURTAINS This isa continuation of application Ser. No. 770,612, filed Oct. 25, 1968, nowabandoned.

DEVICE FOR FORMING PLEATS ON CURTAINS rod-shaped hanging arm carryingthe drape or curtain is in- I sertable.

In such an arrangement, four downwardly hanging an'ns, serving aspleat-holding arms are suspended from a hanger body. At their lowerends, the pleat-holding arms are detachably connected by a pleat holder.Thus, apart from the hanger body, one has a five-part arrangement, thesingle parts of which are injection-molded separately and then fittedtogether. Assembly of this device is time-consuming and must be done byhand. With it, one cannot produce a breathing pleat, and the device isnot sturdy enough to give the pleat the desired form in a durablemanner.

Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a devicewhich, although of plastic, is in one piece and very stable as to formand can be used for the production of breathing pleats. 1

According to the invention, this problem is solved in that the lower endof the hanging arm a stiff crossbar is provided which extends in thedirection in which the curtain is drawn and which is integral with thehanging arm. From the crossbar upwardly pointing pleat-holding armsextend which are integral with the crossbar. From the crossbar, hornsextend forward which are integral with the crossbar, and hooking devicesmay be provided on the crossbar. Such a device can be injection moldedwith a very simple tool.

Advantageously, the crossbar is of bridge-type fonn, the left and rightends of which join with the base of each horn, and from the upper sideof which the pleat-holding arms fan out. At their root the pleat-holdingarms act as reinforcement for the crossbar and may extend from it atabout right angles. The crossbar is so designed that the horns alsocontribute to the stabilization of the entire arrangement.

Advantageously, the hanging arm and the pleat-holding arms form an acuteangle, seen from the direction in which the curtain is drawn. Thus onecan firmly hold an outwardly inclined pinched pleat of approximatelyhalf-crown form, and the weight of the curtain is absorbed in thehanging arm as pure tensile stress.

It is of advantage if the horns are hollow and closed at their free end.This results in a saving of weight without actual loss of stability.

Appropriately, each of the outer pleat-holding arms have at least onerib extending in the curtain drawing direction. This rib not onlystiffens the outer pleat-holding arms which are most subjected tobending stress, but also contributes to the stiffening of the crossbarbecause at its base it joins this crossbar at least partially.

Advantageously, the pleat-holding arms have barb-like projections. Theseprojections reinforce the pleat-holding arms and prevent the pockets ofcurtain bands in which the pleat holding arms are inserted, fromslipping out of place and thus load the device in an undesired manner.

It is of advantage if the projections are provided on the narrow endfaces of the pleat-holding arms and in their lower area. Thereby thearea around the crossbar is reinforced, and one prevents the curtainband from slipping upward in operatron.

Advantageously, the projections are provided on the outer pleat-holdingarms. These pleat-holding arms are under particular stress.

Appropriately, a clamping device for the upper edge of a pocket of acurtain band is provided at each of the free ends of the pleat-holdingarms. At that point the edge of the curtain band can easily be hookedin, and the pockets are, so to speak, secured between the barbs and theclamping device; in many cases this may even constitute a reinforcementaid for the pleat-holding'arms.

Advantageously, the clamping device is an elastic, downwardly pointingslot, preferably extending in wave form. In this case the clampingdevice can retain the upper edge of a pocket particularly well withoutmaking the edge difiicult to hang.

Further advantages and features of the invention will be evident fromthe following description taken together with the drawings in which: i V

FIG. 1 shows a front view of a hanger with a slider rotated 90 from thenormal hanging position;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the hanger;

5 FIG. 3 shows a top view of the hanger;

FIG. 4 shows a section along line 4-4 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows a front view of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 shows a side view to FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view with the curtain band partly opened up;

FIG. 8 shows a curtain in the closed state, in front view; and

FIG. 9 shows the curtain in the opened state, in front view.

On a slider 10 for a front attachment rod, there are injection-moldedhanging pins 11, into which are hooked the two tines 12 of a hanging arm13. For this, the two tines 12 each have a keyhole cutout 14. The footof the hanging arm 13 terminates in one piece in a bridge-type crossbar16, which extends approximately in the direction in which the curtain isdrawn. From the two left and right hand ends of the crossbar 16 are twohorns 17, which (according to FIG. I) extend forward, and are,(according to FIG. 4) hollow and closed at their free ends 18. Such ahorn 17 is very sturdy and is readily able to give the pleats a certainposition, without chafing through them. 7

From the crossbar 16, pleat-holding arms 19 and 21 extend, which arenarrow as viewed in FIG. 1, but are relatively wide as viewed in FIG. 2and at their transition to the crossbar 16 reinforce the latter andafford an excellent hold.

The outer pleat-holding arms 21 have rigs 22, which reinforce the stayin its end regions and give additional stiffness to the outerpleat-holding arms. This stiffness is desired inasmuch as, when drawingthe curtain, only the outer pleatholding arms 21 are subjected tobending stress in the drawing direction.

As seen in FIG. 2, the hanging arm 13 occupies an acute angle inrelation to the pleat-holding arms 19 and 21. The two elements thus havea relative position in which they are subjected only to loads whichrequire relatively little material to support. For example, the hangingarm 13 is only under tensile stress and need not absorb a force whichthe forwardly hanging pleat produces, whereas the pleat-holding arms 19and 21 are not under tensile stress and must absorb only the load of thepleat.

As the construction as a whole is very sturdy, a hanging pin 23 may beprovided on either side of the crossbar 16, which is, for example,connected with a hanging pin of an adjacent pleat-forming device, sothat the traction occurring when moving extends through the connectingband and the crossbar 16.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the outer pleat-holdingarms 21 carry in their lower region barb-like projections 24 which,extend not only forward and rearward, but toward the inner pleat-holdingarms 19 as well.

At their free ends the outer pleat-holding arms 21 carry a clampingdevice 26 in the form of a wavy slot 27. The hook front wall 33 ofpocket 32, transverse slots 34 are provided. Similar slots may beprovided opposite in the rear wall 36.

In use, one inserts for example the pleat-holding arm 21 into a pocket32. Upon insertion. the transverse slots 34 pass over the projections 24and lock with themjBecause of the sawtooth form of the projections 24,the pockets 32 are easy to push on but less easy to push off again. Butthis is no disadvantage, as the entire device can be laundered ,with thecur tam.

One then pushes the upper edge 37 of pocket 32 a little farther down,namely to below the slot 27, 29, then pulls the upper edge 37 up againin theslot 27, 29. At this, the slot spreads somewhat and retains theupper edge 37, so that the pocket 32 cannot collapse. 7

By pushing additional pockets 32 onto the other pleatholding arms 19 and21 and using several devices according to the invention, one obtainsvery elegant pinched pleats 38, as

shown in FIG. 8. In the case of front attachment rods these pleats canextend to just below the ceiling. FIG. 8 also illustrates the functionof the horns 17, which are located at about 39 and hold outward theouter pleats in the region of the pinch. The two roots of the centralpleat then lie between the horns l7. FIG. 9 shows the curtain .43 in theopened state. All the pleats now extend practically parallel and thecurtain has changed its appearance without losing any of its elegance.

What I claim is r 1. An arrangement for forming pleats in drapes,curtains or the like, which is suspended from a curtain rod comprising ahanging arm for carrying the drape or curtain, a slide portion connectedto said hanging arm andarranged and intended for sliding movement alongsaid rod, a stiff crossbar extending from the lower'end of thehangingarm in the drawing direction of the curtain and in one 7 piece with saidhanging arm,

stiff upwardly and outwardly pointing pleat-holding arms fanning outfrom said crossbar and in one piece with said crossbar,

horn means extending forwardly from said'crossbar and in one piece withsaid crossbar, a curtain band having pocket means for receiving saidpleat holding arms and arranged thereon to hold said pleats in outwardlyinclined approximately half crown like form,

and a curtain stitched to said band. I 2. An arrangement according toclaim 1, in which the left and right ends of said crossbar. joint withthe base of said horn means andfrom the upper side of which saidpleat-holding l0 arms fan out 3. 'An arrangement according to claim 1,in which the hanging arm and the pleat-holding arms form an acute angleas seen from the drawing direction of the curtain.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which said horn meansis-hollow for structural lightness and closed at the free end thereof. Y

5. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which outer pleat-holdingarms have at least one rib extending in the drawing direction of saidcurtain.

6. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which said pleat-holding armshave barb-like projections spaced from the ends thereof. t 7. Anarrangement according to claim 6, in which said projections are providedon the narrow end faces of the pleatholding arms and in their lowerregion.

. 8. An arrangement according to claim 6, in which said projectionsrareprovided on outer pleat-holding arms. 7

9. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which at the free ends ofeach of said pleat-holding arms a clamping device is provided for theupper edge of a pocket of a curtain band. I

10. An arrangement according to claim 9, in which said clamping deviceis means for forming an elastic, downwardly point, preferably wavy slot.7

11. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which hooking devices areprovided on said crossbar, adapted to be connected to-sim1lar hooklngdevices on ad acent pleatforming devices.

1. An arrangement for forming pleats in drapes, curtains or the like,which is suspended from a curtain rod comprising a hanging arm forcarrying the drape or curtain, a slide portion connected to said hangingarm and arranged and intended for sliding movement along said rod, astiff crossbar extending from the lower end of the hanging arm in thedrawing direction of the curtain and in one piece with said hanging arm,stiff upwardly and outwardly pointing pleat-holding arms fanning outfrom said crossbar and in one piece with said crossbar, horn meansextending forwardly from said crossbar and in one piece with saidcrossbar, a curtain band having pocket means for receiving said pleatholding arms and arranged thereon to hold said pleats in outwardlyinclined approximately half crown like form, and a curtain stitched tosaid band.
 2. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which the left andright ends of said crossbar joint with the base of said horn means andfrom the upper side of which said pleat-holding arms fan out.
 3. Anarrangement according to claim 1, in which the hanging arm and thepleat-holding arms form an acute angle as seen from the drawingdirection of the curtain.
 4. An arrangement according to claim 1, inwhich said horn means is hollow for structural lightness and closed atthe free end thereof.
 5. An arrangement according to claim 1, in whichouter pleat-holding arms have at least one rib extending in the drawingdirection of said curtain.
 6. An arrangement according to claim 1, inwhich said pleat-holding arms have barb-like projections spaced from theends thereof.
 7. An arrangement according to claim 6, in which saidprojections are provided on the narrow end faces of the pleat-holdingarms and in their lower region.
 8. An arrangement according to claim 6,in which said proJections are provided on outer pleat-holding arms. 9.An arrangement according to claim 1, in which at the free ends of eachof said pleat-holding arms a clamping device is provided for the upperedge of a pocket of a curtain band.
 10. An arrangement according toclaim 9, in which said clamping device is means for forming an elastic,downwardly point, preferably wavy slot.
 11. An arrangement according toclaim 1, in which hooking devices are provided on said crossbar, adaptedto be connected to similar hooking devices on adjacent pleat formingdevices.